Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Oscar Levin

Steven Clontz @clontz.org · 13d

Use Doenet.org to create mathematical interactives to support inquiry-based learning: mathtech.org/2025/09/26/d...

Screenshot of interactive applet that illustrates how scaling a column of a determinate scales the determinate's value by the same factor.

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Reposted by Oscar Levin

code4math Community @code4math.org · 29d

Our Grand Opening continues on Monday as @oscarlevin.com shows us how PreTeXtBook.org can help authors create accessible and interactive scholarly documents. Join us Sep 15 at 9am Eastern. preview.scholarlattice.org/collections/...

PreTeXt

PreTeXtBook.org

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Aug 29

Well now I need to wait for this to come to streaming so I can do that. As long as I can figure out how to keep popcorn close enough to my treadmill.

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Aug 17

New PreTeXt feature: Handouts!

If you use guided notes in your teaching, or just want to make accessible versions of the printouts you bring to class, you can now author these in #PreTeXt and print directly from the browser (or save as PDF to annotate on a tablet).
mathtech.org/2025/08/17/h...

Handouts and Worksheets in PreTeXt

We all know that PreTeXt is great for writing textbooks. But did you know that it can also be used to create small, standalone course materials? Perhaps you want to create an in-class activity to en...

mathtech.org

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Aug 12

Nope, Calculus 1 and Abstract Algebra. Real analysis would be a lot of fun though.

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Aug 12

I was thinking QUBES hub as well.

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Aug 12

I'm not looking to rank courses. I'm hoping to find well written learning targets to help me build my specification-based grading course. And hopefully help other instructors do the same. Writing good, assessable learning targets is hard!

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Aug 12

This fall I'm going to use master/specification grading in two new courses. So can someone remind me where the big online repository of learning targets for all math courses is? Or if there isn't one, could someone please make that? Or help me make it?

#MathSky, #iTeachMath

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Aug 2

Wow, that output looks amazing! What typesetting system are you using?? 😁

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Jul 29

This sudoku is full of #math lessons: logic, combinatorics, symmetry, and joy. Try it here: sudokupad.app/qt0xjevecl. Then watch this: youtu.be/ddnLr8jWNeY?...

Hypnotic Suggestion by Atticus837 (Sven's SudokuPad v0.591.4)

sudokupad.app

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Jul 14

Zero dates back to the early days of Wimbledon, when a homophobic sportscaster was uncomfortable declaring the score Love-Love

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Jul 10

The better question, "if you are not able to stop the flow of asylum seekers, do you think the US has enough insane asylums to hold all of them?"

Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Jun 19

This is a great question. For me, it means I see how I could teach the concept. I can see the whole story arc of how the mystery fits together.

Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Jun 15

Clearly they knew you wanted to decorate with purple roots. That's what you get for grocery shopping at Hobby Lobby

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Jun 10

I tried to capture some of the advice from a seminar by an accessibility expert as part of the PreTeXt guide. See Subsection 4.40.3: Advice for Writing Image Descriptions
pretextbook.org/doc/guide/ht...

AccessibilityPreTeXt logo

pretextbook.org

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · May 19

The easiest way to use pandoc for pretext is to use the feature in vs code and pretext-tools. Assuming you have pandoc installed, search for the command pretext: convert file to pretext.

There are currently too many conversions in pretext-tools. I need to clean that up.

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Reposted by Oscar Levin

doom boy @doomboy.bsky.social · May 4

if you click the first hyperlinked word on any wikipedia article, and then click the first hyperlinked word on the next one, and so on, within 10-15 clicks you will get to the wikipedia article for philosophy. and i think that's beautiful

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · May 4

And yet, the recent piece circulating from popular science includes, "“[I don’t] believe in irrational numbers,” he said."

www.popsci.com/science/alge...

Mathematician solves algebra's oldest problem

All you need to do is toss out irrational numbers.

www.popsci.com

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Reposted by Oscar Levin

MathTech.org @mathtech.org · May 1

Accessible Course Materials with PreTeXT Virtual Workshop: Monday, May 19 to Thursday, May 22, 2025; 12-2pm EDT

Not only free, but limited participant stipends are available! Info at mathtech.org/workshops/ma...

Accessible Course Materials with PreTeXT Workshop

Showcasing open-source technologies that innovate mathematics education and communication.

mathtech.org

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Apr 29

Are we sure we aren't living in Fight Club? Or am I not supposed to talk about that?

Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Apr 20

I hear, "Happy Easter to those who celebrate it. And to everyone else, enjoy celebrating Hitler's birthday."

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Apr 19

I wonder why the Democrats aren't trying to change his mind more, given how easy it is to do. Seems like with the right level of flattery and cleavage, he could be leading the Democratic party by now.

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Apr 18

This is a good point. I keep forgetting about this as an option. I'll try to add it to my post.

Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Apr 17

My post about accessible math and other STEM materials is now up: mathtech.org/2025/04/10/a...

Accessible Course Materials

Recent state and federal laws in the United States have brought renewed urgency to efforts to ensure all educational content meets accessibility standards. Many universities (especially those subject...

mathtech.org

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Oscar Levin @oscarlevin.com · Apr 15

youtu.be/27PSHASlGUU?...

Tom Lehrer - Fight Fiercely Harvard

YouTube video by Jan Hammer

youtu.be

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